Episodes

Today we are going to talk about an important subject that applies to every couple and family seeking to enjoy the full-time RV lifestyle – and that’s how to maintain healthy personal relationships while confined to 400 square feet of living space. Levi and Natalie Henley have been married for 12 years and full-time RVing for six of them. In fact, they have also worked 20 Workamping jobs together. Through it all, they have learned a lot about each other’s personal habits and traits on the job a...

Today we will talk with a couple who have been camping for years, and full-time RVing and Workamping for almost two years. Krista and Roy Renning have been married 30 years, and enjoyed tent camping since the early years of their relationship. They progressed to a pop-up and then a travel trailer before getting a cabin boat. When they returned to land travel, they opted for a fifth wheel. They have been RVing full time for a year and a half and have completed three Workamping jobs. They retire...

Today we are going to speak to a spunky young woman who, at nearly 70 years old, has been RVing for 18 years. I interviewed Marcia Mercer at the 2019 Workamper Rendezvous where she provided a quick assessment of her involvement in that annual event. She holds the distinction of having attended every Rendezvous since the event’s inception. I asked Marcia to come back on the show to elaborate on her personal experience as a solo, full-time RVer and about the types of jobs she has performed durin...

I’ve been interviewing a number of employers lately, and last week’s podcast focused on tires. So, for the next few weeks, I’ll be talking to some experienced Workampers who will give us a glimpse of their lives on the road. Johanna D’Aleo has been Workamping for more than four years. When people talk about downsizing to become a full-time RVer, Johanna really took that to heart. She started by living in a teardrop trailer, then upgraded to a 13-foot travel trailer. Then she moved into a 16-fo...

We have a great show today in that we’re going to talk to an expert on motorhome tires. While some of the things he describes impacts just motorhomes, others apply to towables as well. It’s going to be a really educational episode. Jeff Bown technically started Motorhome Tires out of his garage 35 years ago. Today, his company is a massive network of more than 4,000 certified installers nationwide. Together, they complete nearly a thousand mobile tire installations every year. The installation...

Can you believe there are less than 13 weeks left in 2020? That means that tax time is right around the corner, and we’re going to talk with someone who hires Workampers to help people file their taxes. Dan Marlow is a certified public accountant and the owner of Valor Tax Services in Kansas City, Mo. His firm is a franchise of Jackson Hewitt Tax Services, which provides professional tax preparation services nationwide. Dan is looking for several Workampers to help him prepare tax returns for ...

We have a shorter episode for you today, but it offers a lot of important information about working for one of Workampers largest employers. Amazon, the online retail giant, has been hiring Workampers for years as part of its CamperForce program. It’s a community of enthusiastic RVers who work seasonal jobs picking, packing, stowing and receiving products at one of 11 warehouses in eight states. Those warehouses are located in Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentuc...

Today we are going to talk to a woman who, along with her partner, make money inspecting RVs. She also offers advice to anyone buying an RV as to why an inspection is essential before signing any documents. Lisa Sarver works with her partner, Jason Carletti, inspecting RVs in Tampa, FL. Originally, she worked as a traveling medical technician. But, while Jason was looking for something to do, he stumbled upon an ad about becoming an RV Inspector. Initially, he became a Level 2 Inspector and st...

Today’s episode features an interview with an employer who is looking for Workampers to help out at her campground in New Jersey. Michelle Burton is the general manager of Wading Pines Campground in Chatsworth, N.J. It’s an unusual campground in that it’s in the woods, but only 30 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, one hour from Philadelphia and all the history there, and two hours from New York City. The 60-year-old campground is located in what’s called the Pine Barrens, one of the largest coa...

Note: We were so saddened to hear that Adrian lost his battle with congestive heart failure in May 2021. Sylven will be continuing on with their plan and hopes to be back out on the road soon. We wish her nothing but the best and are thankful we got to know Adrian a bit. This week we will talk with a couple from Colorado who are in the process of redesigning their lives to venture into the full-time RV and Workamping lifestyle. Sylven and Adrian Watson are looking forward to the day they can up...

Today we will talk with a man who does RV inspections as well as repairs while he travels between his summer home in Toronto, and his winter home wherever he wants that to be. Bryan Carbonnell and his wife bought an RV in 2013 when they opted to embrace the full-time RV lifestyle. However, as soon as he bought the unit, he discovered problems with it – lots of problems. In the process of getting them fixed, he learned about training being offered by the Mobile RV Academy, which was the predece...

Today we are going to speak with a woman from Florida who just completed the new Dreamer’s Journey program, and she’s going to explain what she learned that will help her launch into the Workamping lifestyle. A South Carolina native, Lynn Hupp has been living in central Florida since 1980. She has camped in tents for many years and already owns what she calls a bed-in-box, a tiny travel trailer big enough for a bed, an air conditioner, and a power strip – and not much else. She has dreamed abo...

Today we are going to talk with an RVing expert who has some tips and suggestions for taking the stress and hassle out of setting up an RV. John Huggins and his wife, Kathy, founded the Living the RV Dream group. They were full-time RVers for quite some time and were one of the pioneers in creating online communities. The couple also served as Workampers nearly the entire time they were on the road. So, they are very well experienced in setting up and taking down an RV, and getting ready to hi...

Today we are going to talk with a couple who have been RVing for 25 years, and doing so full time for the past four years. Don and Pat Hawes are natives of Massachusetts. They started tent camping, then progressed to a popup before getting a travel trailer and finally settling into the 32-foot Jayco Class C motorhome they call home today. They explain why they selected a motorhome and the benefits it provides on the road and while serving as their home. As residents of New England, they spend ...

Today, we will continue an interview with the executive director of Workamper News to discuss ways in which Workampers can increase the likelihood of getting their dream jobs. Jody Duquette is the executive director of Workamper News. As a Workamper herself, Jody knows that a resume is often the first impression someone makes with a prospective employer. Jody suggests that Workampers begin working on creating a resume at least six months before they want to start their first jobs. Fortunately...

Today we are going to talk with one of the co-owners of Workamper News about the variety of jobs that are advertised on the platform every year. Jody Duquette is the executive director of Workamper News. Among other things, she oversees production of the magazine and online content management. In this episode, Jody describes the myriad of short-term jobs that are available to Workampers. They can be part-time or full-time. Some last just a couple of weeks, some an entire season, and some until...

Today we will speak with a woman who started RVing out of necessity, then fell in love with an RV expert and, together, they operated several successful businesses from the road. Many people may have heard of Evada Cooper, but few probably know her story. She grew up in Texas and started the RV lifestyle out of necessity after she was divorced and needed an inexpensive place to live while raising her teenage daughter, two dogs and a cat. Evada explains why a fifth wheel was the ideal choice fo...

Today we are going to talk with the president of the National RV Training Academy about a new hybrid teaching method that will greatly benefit full-time RVers. Terry Cooper, who likes to be called “Cooper,” founded the National RV Training Academy in Athens, Texas, in 2018 as a permanent place to train RV technicians and inspectors. Prior to that, Cooper and his wife, Evada, traveled throughout the country in their RV full-time conducting training courses in key locations. Eventually, demand f...

Today we are going to talk with a woman who owns a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina, but hires Workampers to sell trees from lots in south Florida. Kathy Chefas and her husband, John, own Hart-T-Tree Farms, a company that is tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Grassy Creek, N.C., and a stone’s throw from the Virginia state line. The farm specializes in growing Fraser firs, which make spectacular Christmas trees. John grew up selling trees in Chicago and shortly after meeting Kath...

Today we are going to hear from an employer whose business has been hiring Workampers for decades and is still looking for people to work this summer. Luciene Syrett, or Lu as she likes to be called, is the gift shop manager at Ruby’s Inn, which is located just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. The family-owned business was started in 1916 by her great-grandfather, Reuben Syrett, who liked to be called Ruby. Today, the sixth generation of Syretts are working there. It may have started as...

Today we are going to talk with an experienced Workamper who believes embracing that challenge actually saved her husband. Angie Rardon and her husband, Kevin, are from Temecula, Calif. They decided to retire from their jobs as a quality auditor and engineering tech at age 55 to pursue a dream of RV travel. Through the process of winding down their careers and selling their home, they both had physical examinations to make sure they would be okay to travel. They wanted to get that done before ...

Today we are going to talk with a couple who literally wrote the book on the Workamping lifestyle. Levi and Natalie Henley met in a very unique way. She was from south Texas and he was from California, but they met each other in Las Vegas. Levi was working in a magic store, and Natalie was showing some family members around the strip when they popped into the store. He tricked her into swapping phone numbers and it worked. The couple started RVing about six years ago and accepted their first W...

Today we will talk with the owner of a company that offers kayak and bicycle tours in Maine, and he’s looking for Workampers in 2021. Glenn Tucker is the owner of Coastal Kayaking Tours and Acadia Bike in Bar Harbor, Maine, which is the gateway to Acadia National Park. He calls them soft adventure businesses that just about anyone can enjoy. The firm maintains a fleet of bicycles to rent so people can peddle on the car-free carriage roads of the national park. His team also takes people on gui...

Today we will talk with the president of a well-known supplier firm about their products that really help enhance the RV lifestyle and the RVing experience. Bob Brammer is the president of Stromberg Carlson, a company headquartered in Traverse City, Mich. He grew up in the business founded by his grandfather in the 1950s. The company started making tools for the automotive and aerospace industries. Then, the firm stumbled into the mobile home market by manufacturing steps, skirting, doors and ...